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vant endpoint also in psycho-oncological intervention
slUdies.
'fhe purpose of the current paper is to critically examine
Ihe contribution of quality of Jife research to assessing the
results of oncological treatment both in terms of cIassical
medical approaches as well as psychosocial approaches.
Coping modes and adaptivity in cancer palients
EdgarHeim
Ulliversity 01 Bern, Switzerland
It is generalIy assumed nowadays that coping s best
explained as a transactional proeess. The potentiaI coping
repertoire are broad, eomplex and dynamic. Coping must
be understood in terms of differing and sometimes con-
tlicling goals. One stralegy to study coping and caneer i s
to study its mediating effeet on the somatie proeess as the
primary slressor. In contrast the one here referred to un-
derstands the different psychosociaI demands as dependant
variables of the somatic course oe secondary stressors
with varying goals over time. Thus coping may be seen as
having a preventive, buffering or restoring effect on
psychosocial adaptation.
A survey of aH controlled studies available over the last
15 years will allow for sorne conclusions on appropriate
versus inappropriate coping in adaptation to caneer. In
successful or 'good' coping an active. tackling behaviour
by the patient combined with a supportive and responsive
environment is central. Realistic, problem-analysis com-
bined with aceepting conditions beyond one's control i s
also important. In 'bad' or unfavourable coping resigna-
tion/fatalism, a repressive, denying attitude and social
withdrawal are predominant.
Effects of different relaxalion techniques on
particular aspects of quality of Iife (QoL) of female
breast cancer patients
S. Kresi, S. Moller, l. Florill', C. Vogele'
JDep. 01 Ps)'chology, Philipps-Universitiit
Marburg; )RehahilitationszeJJtrlllll Urbaclttal. Neukirchen,
Germany
This study was carried out to examine relaxation effects on
QoL of breast caneer patients during rehabilitation.
69 breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to
genic training (An, progressive relaxation (PR) or mind
machine (MM). AH received six sessions of relaxation
training. Standardized questionnaires were used to opera-
tionalize QoL at four defined measurement points before
and after training. Analyses of variance were applied.
Throughout the whole examination period AT caused the
strongest amelioration, relaxation by MM a worsening of
eertain aspeets of eurrent physical well-being. Al the end
of the intervention and at the 4th point of measurement
participanls of active relaxalion leehniques (AT, PR)
evaluated differenl aspeets of their physical and psyeho-
logical well-being more positive than patients relaxing
by a MM. Betwecn terminadon of supervised sessions and
the end of this study a decrease in several areas of well-
being was observed in aU groups.
Relaxation techniques have positive short-term effects on
the QoL of breast caneer patients. Furthermore results
point to a differential indication. Active relaxation lech-
niques should be preferred due to their long-term effects.
Qualty of the Iife (QoL) of elderly patients with
Hodgkin's Oisease (HO)
Nikita Schklovsky-Kordi, Marina Kalmykova, Marina
Ivaschkina
Dpt. 01 Haemotology and 11Ilensive care, National Celllre
lor Haemotology, Moscow, Russia
For QoL estimation health, socio-economic situation.
family circumstances, professional activity, personal
contacts and sorne other scaIes were measured together
with goaIs evaluation according the B. Ruppkin's methods
and adapted fonn of ERTC - H8-LQ .
50 patients with HD (7 of them were more eIder than 55
years old), who had received treatment according to the
protocols MQPP - ABVD and Stanford during the years
1996 to 1997 (HO' pIS), and 25 healthy subjeets fmm
control group (CG) (7 of them were more elder than 55
years old) were inquired by Ruppkin's questionnaire and
ERTC - H8-LQ.
Al! 7 eider HD' pts eslimaled thelr QoL as high, but only 2
subjeels fmm ca marked QoL as high, and 5 as middle. 1n
both the groups of elder subjects sphere of health \Vas
most important. But in the groups of aduIt, but not old
healthy subjects family and professionaI sphere are most
important, but "health" \Vas in the lasl place. Elderly 00'
pts are more salisfied by theje family, social, economic,
professional status eompared to the healthy ca of the
same age.
Que conclusion are: a) The satisfaetion of the Jife besides
elder HD' pIS Is higher lhan In CG of the same age; b) The
factor tlheaUh" is in the first place in both groups; c) In
the risk situation value motives, which are related with
other spheres of QoL and mark out the motive "health" as
main, are reduced.
Assessing anxiety and depression with HAO scale
in a Spanish cancer population: a preliminary
validation study
S. Lpez-Roig, M. C. Tero/, M. C. Neipp, l. Leyda, B.
Massutfl, C. Pic
J
, M. A. Pastor
Health Psychology Department, Faculty 01 Medicine,
U"iversity Mlguel Hernndez. San Juan, Spaitl,'
JOncology Unit, Hospital General de Alicante, Spain
The Hospital Anxiety and Oepression Seale (HAO) is
being used increasingly with patients as an instrument to
assess emotional responses lo illness. We have carried out
a study of psychornetric properties in a normal Spanish
population showing it as an easy and understandable scale
to be used. However. studies with illness populations have